The T'Lara Tragedy
by HeronS
Summary: Humans call it "the Prisoners' Dilemma". Vulcans call it "the T'Lara Tragedy". Spock discovers the Romulan term for this devastating dilemma when he and a Romulan scientist find themselves with secret information that could plunge the Federation and the Empire into a brutal war. If only they could trust each other. A discussion about loyalty, trust and mnei'sahe.


**The T'Lara Tragedy**

As the hall slowly emptied of excited Artesan scientists, their two alien guests stayed behind in somber contemplation. Only careful perusal of the list of attendees to this the First Artesan Intergalactic Conference on Subspace Wave Theory had allowed the hosts to figure out that the two were officially of different species. A Vulcan and a Romulan. To the small, tripedal Artesans, all the new, marvelous alien races they had so recently come in contact with looked alike - but of course, that was not something one said.

The Vulcan seemed lost in contemplation of his steepled fingers and the rich blue and gold of the opulent Artesan mat that covered the floor of the Science Temple. It ( _he! Remember the helpful cultural information boxes in the workshop program!_ ) had not moved a muscle for the last thirty minutes of the last talk, something which right now was causing the speaker, a young, brilliant fourth gender researcher, to ask nervous questions of its peers in the refreshment room. The advanced nature of alien technology was dazzling the scientific community of Artes II, and when it came to the subtopics of this particular workshop - data analysis in Sitter space wave theory - it was clear that their Vulcan guest was a cutting edge researcher. They knew less of their Romulan guest, but it ( _she!_ ) seemed very knowledgeable, and had hinted at some truly remarkable improvements in inferential statistics, should the Artesan leaders eventually decide to join the Empire. Now it seemed likely that the Artesans had somehow offended both their guests... The workshop convenors shooed people out of the room and regrouped in a frantic huddle by the resting pods.

The Romulan had eschewed the padded stools placed in carefully measured interval around the Speaker Circle and holoprojector. Instead she had remained standing, her back to one of the walls. She had her arms crossed in front of her, a sorrowful look on her face. After a minute, when the doors to the outer salon had closed on the last Artesan and silence reigned in the Speaker Hall, she righted herself and went toward the Vulcan. She sat down next to him and rested her face in her hands. Eventually she spoke.

"You are Spock. Commander. Science Officer of the USS Enterprise. Author of that very famous Temporal Effects in Warp Fields article in the VSA Journal."  
"You are Ran. Specialist from the Romulan Fleet's Research Division. I assume that you provided the mathematics behind the recent improvements in Fleet cloaking devices, though, naturally that information is classified by the Empire."

She didn't confirm or deny this. There was another minute of silence.

"They don't know what they have."

"Indeed."

"They' are so very proud of it. They clearly think that it will revolutionize their communication grids, make subspace to standard transmission faster. Bring worlds together in greater harmony, that young one said. Children." She sounded partly disgusted, partly envious.

Spock nodded. He rose, straightened his uniform tunic and made a gesture towards a small table with drinking bowls and water. They ventured slowly in that direction.

"What do you intend to do?" he asked, as he reached past her to fill one of the small bowls for her. It was for both an old outdated gesture - this idea that you always served water to the other first. It still survived in both Vulcan and Romulan classical etiquette, regardless of the thousands of years of separation and philosophical differences between the two peoples.

"My duty is clear. So, is, I assume, yours."

"Indeed."

"With a few simple lines of mathematics, the naive children on this insignificant moon have uncovered a way to let phasers and lasers through all modern shielding." She sampled the water. It tastes like ashes.

Spock seemed to agree. He put the glass down.

"I have no doubt that the same math will, eventually, give all sides new shields that can handle the variation. In a few months, this advantage will be moot."

"Sure. In a few months. But given current tensions... The temptation to strike first will be enormous. The Romulus Nexus itself, unshielded. Starfleet Command, vulnerable as a newly hatched _nei'rrh_. Strike and counterstrike. Carnage."

"So why, specialist Ran, are you still here, talking to me?"

She laughed. There was no humor in it.

"Oh, part of it is probably just the novelty of being in a place where no one is listening in at what I'm saying. Not even the _Tal Shiar_ could penetrate this temple's protections. Useful, for wannabe traitors like you and me."

There was more silence.

"The humans call this the Prisoners' Dilemma." Spock said, finally. "On Vulcan, it is known as the T'lara Tragedy."

"I never realized the etymology. Its called the Ara Tragedy in Romulan. The story goes that, not long before Surak's reformation and the Romulan exodus from Vulcan, two city states both got the capability of poisoning only selected parts of the oasis they shared. The best solution would be for both cities to do nothing. But if the others were going to act, well, then you had best act first. Both sides used the poison, and the whole oasis became poisoned. I never knew if it was just a cautionary metaphor..."

"It is not. The final damage of the bioweapon was not cleaned up until 261 years ago."

Ran went and sat down on one of the stools. She looked tired. "We have no reason to trust each other. Even so, I would have you believe that, if I could be certain of your silence, I would commit treason and keep this secret until I could fix the shielding."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "It is difficult to believe, madam. Your family is prominent in the imperial fleet - even in a Federation replete with suspicions of Romulus, it is said it is said to conduct itself with honor and impressive loyalty to the Empire. Yet there is good reason for you to wish to avoid this war - Romulus is weaker than it has been. I… wish I could trust your word. I too would keep this secret. Without shields, phasers become doomsday weapons, for all sides. Mutually assured destruction."

Ran shook her head. "And I wish I could trust you. But you are Vulcan… You publish all your findings in open journals. The _Tal Shiar_ does not even have to bother to steal copies, they are available for free on the planetary nets of even non-Federation worlds. I may revel in this short reprieve, in this garish temple, from the constant watching and censorship of my government, but know this: I would rather have my speech curtailed a thousand times more than have to face the consequences of your dangerously naive credo that all knowledge should be free and available to everyone, everywhere. I am not sure you could allow yourself to be silent about such a momentous research discovery, even had you not been a Starfleet officer." She seemed to study the designs on her bowl, but her eyes were a thousand light-years away. "Is it a myth that Vulcans cannot lie, I wonder."

Spock stiffened. "Yes. We can lie. But it is seen as dishonorable, a sign of mental instability or moral perversion. Yet I would lie rather than let this come to pass."

"Dishonor… Such an imprecise, emotional concept for a cold, rational Vulcan. I would have thought that honor and loyalty had little value when logic and reason reign supreme." She gave him an intense look. "My superior, my commander… She would order the fleet to attack in a heartbeat. She is not one to revel in destruction, but her loyalty, her oaths to the Empire would not let her do anything else - not with billions of innocent Romulans threatened by the blood-thirsty Federation. She would feel forced to destroy you, before you could destroy us - and billions would die in misery and agony when you retaliate, as you must. And she and I... we are _riam._ " It was clear from the way she said it, that the word carried a deep meaning to her. She rose and went to stand directly in front of him. She was almost a head shorter than the Vulcan, but the confident power of her stance did not for a moment make it seem like she was at a disadvantage. "I think the word means just 'sister' in modern Vulcan, yes? Not to us. We have retained all its meanings, from those ancient, desperate, pre-Exodus days of carnage in the deserts beneath T'Kuth. She and I are not blood-kin, but true sisters. Long ago we swore to carry the other's honor as if it was our own. Could you ever understand that _mnhei'sahe_ , honor, demands that I soil mine rather than let her sacrifice hers in the blood red waters of mass murder? Could you, a Vulcan, understand such a thing? I wonder."

He had looked away when she came close, but now his eyes swung back to her. She wondered that she had ever thought that those eyes were expressionless.

"All those words, all those ancient relationships and oaths, are rejected by modern Vulcan" he said, his voice low and intense. "Blood brothers, honor carriers, unconditional loyalty - those things started vendettas, caused terrible vengeance and loss. They are illogical and emotional. Scandalous. There is not even a word for 'friend' in modern Vulcan, as we desperately try to guard against any selfish emotions that would put the needs of one over the needs of the many. But yes. I understand. I have felt the strength of such bonds. I have such a friend myself. And while I might resign from a Starfleet that attacked pre-emptively, I think he would not let himself abandon the fleet. And I think it would destroy him. I will not let that happen, Ran, any more than you will. I will lie to him, to my superiors. Yes, I understand this…" he tasted the old word, known to him only from ancient dialects of high vulcan " _mnhei'sahe_."

They stayed like that for some time, looking into each other's eyes. A battle more within each of them, than with each other. Finally, Spock said: "I must do what I must. And you must do what you must. I ask that you trust me, but there are no other assurances that I can offer." He stepped quickly back then, gave her a small bow, and turned to walk out.

As he opened the door to the salon, the sounds of excited Artesans swept in over her. They had learned so much, they said! Science were going to revolutionize their world, and then the galaxy, with the help of this new brotherhood of aliens they had discovered. So many wonders awaited!

Ran took a deep shuddering breath and went to betray her sister.

 **FIN.**

 **Author's note: This fanfic is my own amateurish homage to the wonderful Rihannsu books of Diane Duane - not in places or characters, but in style and philosophical content. The first our can be found in a convenient omnibus: wiki/Rihannsu:_The_Bloodwing_Voyages**

 **Your reviews make my day! Even a few words. I of course welcome any longer feedback as well - I'm new as an author and welcome any chance to learn. English isn't my first language, so do let me know when you find weird phrases and misspellings.** **I would love a beta reader.**


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